NEW SONG, SAME DANCE — While the rest of the country ponders a world without Osama bin Laden, key congressional Democrats and Republicans in the energy battle have already picked their playbook: stay the course, and stay on message.

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House Republicans are continuing their push to beat back regulations on domestic energy development, headlined by planned votes Thursday on at least one — and possibly two — bills to boost offshore drilling. Senate Democrats are still hoping to strip tax incentives for oil companies and use them to fund investments in renewable energy.

And while bin Laden’s death may provide a new talking point here and there, it will do little to nothing to give Senate Democrats or House Republicans the votes they need to move their bills in the opposite chamber.

“I think everyone is trying to capitalize on this,” said Christi Tezak, senior energy analyst for Robert W. Baird & Co. But, she said, “it doesn’t change the math looking at oil and gas taxes.” More from Goode: http://politico.pro/mKMUwe

MARKET FORCES — So far, bin Laden’s death has done nothing to stem the upward march of gas prices, which averaged $3.96 per gallon as of Monday afternoon.

And the long-term market effects of his death remain a matter of speculation, says Lisa Murkowski spokesman Robert Dillon: “If it results in greater stability in the Middle East, and if it does prove to be a positive turning point in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, then we could see prices drop. But if it decreases stability, it could have the opposite effect. We just don’t know right now.”

PRICES SO FAR — After a rocky Monday, NYMEX crude prices hovered around $113 per barrel overnight, down slightly from when Obama announced bin Laden had been killed.

HAPPY TUESDAY and welcome to Morning Energy, where your host has his popcorn ready and is all set for this afternoon’s Super Bowl of Spanish Soccer, where Real Madrid and Barcelona will play for all of pride and most of the marbles this afternoon. To help him get in the spirit, send your news, views and strongest sangria recipes to preis@politico.com.

HERDING CATS — The White House and Senate Democratic leaders are struggling to assemble the votes they need to pass plans to cut tax perks for oil and gas companies. Seven Democrats voted against repealing the tax incentives when they came up for a vote in February, but Obama is betting high pump prices and huge industry profits will bolster his case this time around. Goode has more on Democrats’ difficult road for Pros: http://politico.pro/lHgD3P

NO FUN ON THE FARM — Lisa Jackson is criss-crossing farm states in an effort to shore up EPA’s image in a region where Democrats were drubbed in the 2010 elections. EPA’s air and water regulations — and their potential impact on farm jobs — were at the center of farm state officials’ complaints as Democrats lost a slew of congressional seats and governorships.

Jackson is calling her travels the "debunking the myths" tour as she tries to convince farmers that EPA isn’t after their livelihoods, but regional Republicans and Democrats alike say her visits aren’t making a difference. Collin Peterson, the House Ag panel’s top Democrat, said EPA appears to farmers like “an out-of-control agency that doesn’t understand agriculture and doesn’t seem to want to understand it.” Bravender has more for Pros: http://politico.pro/lpAoqI

MAKING MOVES — John Boehner has poached top Inhofe energy aide Mike Catanzaro to advise him on energy issues, and industry lobbyists say the speaker has snagged a power player. Scott Segal, an energy lobbyist at Bracewell & Giuliani, called Catanzaro “nimble” and “intellectually curious” and said he’ll bring “tremendous firepower” to Boehner’s office.

Catanzaro replaces Jay Cranford, who announced last month he was headed to K Street firm Clark, Lytle & Geduldig. Mike McKenna, a GOP strategist, told POLITICO that while he doesn’t expect Catanzaro to depart from Cranford’s policy course, Catanzaro might be more vocal than his predecessor. Bravender has more on Boehner’s big hire: http://politico.pro/jzusDT

NOT FANS — Don’t expect greens to share the industry enthusiasm. When Catanzaro took a job at EPA in 2006, Clean Air Watch President Frank O’Donnell wrote a blog post calling Catanzaro a “former Inhofe attack dog” who was “being used as a conduit by the mining industry in its efforts to evade clean air restrictions.”

But the GOP still hasn’t decided whether to offer one bill or multiple bills aimed at each sector. “We’re still talking to various groups and trying to decide,” Whitfield said. That legislation is likely to be dropped soon, but probably not this week, he said.

PORTMAN ‘LOOKING AT’ UTILITY BILL — Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman insists he hasn’t made any commitments to co-sponsor a bill ( http://politico.pro/k4a0VC) that American Electric Power is floating on Capitol Hill.

POLITICO Pro reported last week that the utility giant is pushing a plan to ease pollution rules for power plants and exempt some old coal-fired plants from new rules if they commit to retiring by 2020.

Portman was rumored to be co-sponsoring the bill along with West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, but Portman tells POLITICO such talk is premature: “Honestly, I haven’t talked to him about it,” he said. “The press stories have gotten way out ahead of us on this.”

DRILLING DEBATE — The American Petroleum Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council are vying for reporters’ love this morning. API President Jack Gerard will talk up House Republicans' trio of offshore drilling bills at 10 a.m., while NRDC officials will take aim at the bills during an 11:30 a.m. press call of their own.

GREEN PARTY!!! Lisa Jackson collects the “Women and Green Energy” leaders of the year award tonight at the Climate Leadership Gala. The event from the Earth Day Network, Carbon War Room and American Council on Renewable Energy kicks off at 6:30 in the EPA Atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building.

NOT ATTENDING — ME readers may remember that one invitee to the Gala was less than tickled. Jordan Clark, chief of staff for Pennsylvania Republican Glenn Thompson, had this to say in April when his boss got the call:

“Thanks for invitation. I trust this will be done in the dark and the attendees will be arriving on horseback as a protest to the use of all that coal, natural gas and oil which provide 85% of our energy. I look forward to attending and would ask if a tour of the Carbon War Room can [be] arranged.”

GOT FOOD? Top USDA officials from the Clinton and Bush administrations are launching a new initiative today to advocate a more sustainable farming and food distribution network. The officials — backed by the Ford Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others — are eying the 2012 Farm Bill and beyond for their chance to reshape food policy. The officials will host a press conference at 10 a.m. at the National Press Club.

AT LEAST SOMEBODY FOUND PARKING — Ford will have its new electric vehicle, the Focus Electric, on display at Union Station all day today and Wednesday.

10 a.m. — Max Baucus, who is crafting the Democrats’ anti-oil perk bill, will have the mic this morning when the Finance Committee hosts a hearing on fairness in the tax code. The hearing is focused on income inequality, but don’t be surprised if energy incentives are raised. 215 Dirksen.

10 a.m. — Senate Energy and Natural Resources is scheduled to quiz administration officials on Chairman Jeff Bingaman’s proposal for a “Clean Energy Deployment Administration,” a potential Department of Energy agency that would use loans and guarantees to get renewable energy projects up and running. 366 Dirksen.

10 a.m. — The House Natural Resources and Agriculture panels hold a joint hearing to attack EPA’s pesticide regulations, which Republicans are calling redundant and overly burdensome. USDA chief economist Joseph Glauber will testify, as will EPA pesticide program director Steven Bradbury and Fish and Wildlife Service acting head Rowan Gould. 1324 Longworth.

10:30 a.m. — Energy and Commerce’s oversight subcommittee takes on Obama over alleged shortcomings in the White House visitor logs. No word yet on witnesses, but the hearing will focus more on the health care overhaul than energy policy, a source tells POLITICO. 2322 Rayburn.

12:30 p.m. — The George Washington University Department of Economics and the Institute for International Economic Policy hold a forum on oil addiction and climate change. 1957 E Street NW, Room 505.

3 p.m. — The Bureau of Land Management hosts the fifth of seven public hearings on its new plan for Western shale oil development. Rifle, Colo.

5 p.m. — George Washington University hosts a panel discussion on the status of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors in Japan. 805 21st Street NW.

ON THE INTERWEB

WSJ — High gas prices are leading consumers to buy more fuel-efficient cars, according to an auto industry research firm: http://on.wsj.com/lZ1FN1

Two years removed from a near-death experience, Detroit automakers are gaining ground on their Japanese competitors, as the domestic firms find success in their restructuring and the Japanese companies are hamstrung by earthquake damages: http://on.wsj.com/jEDEFV

NYT — Rare earth prices have doubled in the last four months, even after rising as much as 400 percent in 2010. The price climb for the materials, which are used in everything from hybrid cars to advanced weaponry, is being driven by export restrictions in China and struggles worldwide to open new refineries: http://nyti.ms/mpbbjr

CHICAGO TRIBUNE — The Army Corps of Engineers has intentionally blown up a levee and flooded farmland in an effort to save the Illinois town of Cairo from flooding: http://bit.ly/mCStCV

THAT’S ALL FOR ME — Your host thanks you for reading and wishes a pleasant 62nd to Sen. Ron Wyden.

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